Locals Stop Parks Department ‘Dune’ Dozer

Locals Stop Parks Department ‘Dune’ Dozer

Rockaway residents Jason Blank, left, Kevin Call ag han, center, Geo ffrey Blank, right, and Anth ony Biz, not shown, stood near a dune-like mound of sand, with grass growing from it, on Beach 123 Street this week to prevent a Depart ment of Parks and Recreation tractor from leveling it. The department wants to flatten the section of beach for safety reasons and does not recognize "official sand dunes" on Beach 123 Street, a spokesperson said. Rockaway’s official dunes are in the upper Beach 140s and the area between Beach 109 and 111 Streets. Dunes are made official through a process that begins with a request from the community, the spokesperson said.